Previous Maryville Daily Forum Coverage of the Daisy Coleman Case

Tuesday

Oct 15, 2013 at 8:31 AM

Due to overwhelming demand on social media, the Maryville Daily Forum is reposting a series of reports from 2012 and 2013 by MDF reporter Tony Brown relating to a case of alleged sexual assault involving a group of Maryville teenagers.

Tony Brown

Due to overwhelming demand on social media, the Maryville Daily Forum is reposting a series of reports from 2012 and 2013 by MDF reporter Tony Brown relating to a case of alleged sexual assault involving a group of Maryville teenagers.

Earlier this week, the story gained national and international media attention in the wake of investigative reports by KCUR-FM, a public radio station in Kansas City, and the Kansas City Star newspaper.

The stories appear below in the order of publication.

***Jan. 12, 2012

Local youth charged with sexual assault

By TONY BROWNtbrown@maryvilledailyforum.com

A Maryville youth has been charged with felony sexual assault after allegedly having intercourse with a 14-year-old girl at a private residence in Maryville.

According to Nodaway County Circuit Court records, Matthew Bradley Barnett, 17, was arrested by a sheriff's deputy sometime after the incident, which occurred in the early morning hours of Sunday, Jan. 8, at 707 Jefferson St., the suspect's residence.

A probable cause statement filed by Deputy David Glidden alleges that Barnett, having been advised of his rights, admitted having consensual sex with the victim, who he said had been drinking alcohol.

In the same document, Glidden reported that the girl said she was intoxicated at the time of the alleged attack and did not remember having sex.

The report adds that the suspect allegedly left the girl in the front yard of her home, where she remained outdoors for approximately two hours in sub-freezing temperatures before making her way into the house.

After his arrest, Barnett, who is being represented by local attorney Robert E. Sundell, was released from the county jail on $10,000 bond with the condition that he avoid all contact with the alleged victim.

In Missouri, anyone age 17 or older who is charged with a crime is considered an adult and tried as one.

Sheriff Darren White said Wednesday that there were actually two alleged incidents of sexual misconduct at the same location on the night in question during a gathering at which several young people were present. The other involved a teenage girl under the age of 15 and a 15-year-old boy who was turned over to juvenile officers. Authorities withheld the second suspect's identity because of his age.

White said both girls were examined by a physician but did not appear to have suffered serious physical injury.

If convicted of the Class C felony, Barnett could be sentenced to between two and seven years in a state prison. An alternate sentence would be as much as a year in jail with a fine of up to $5,000.

Barnett's arraignment on the sexual assault charge in Circuit Court was set for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14. According to computerized court records, he is also facing a misdemeanor driving while intoxicated charge filed on Dec. 11.

***Jan. 18, 2012

Second teen arrested in sexual assault case

By TONY BROWNtbrown@maryvilledailyforum.com

Nodaway County authorities have made a second arrest in connection with a teenage sex crimes case related to offenses allegedly committed during a party at a Maryville residence during the early morning hours of Sunday, Jan. 8.

Taken into custody on a warrant issued Jan. 13 was Jordan James Zech, 17, of rural Maryville. Zech was charged with sexual exploitation of a minor, a Class B Felony, and released on $10,000 bond.

According to a probable cause statement filed by Deputy David Glidden, Zech allegedly used an electronic recording device, identified in other court documents as a cell phone, to make a video of a 14-year-old girl engaged in sexual acts with a 17-year-old male.

The teens reportedly recorded in the video were not identified because they are minors. Under Missouri law victims of sexual exploitation are not considered adults if they are under 18. Anyone who commits a crime of any kind, however, is considered an adult at 17.

According to records filed in Nodaway County Circuit Court, Zech allegedly used the cell phone to record "two minors kissing without pants on prior to the two minors having sexual intercourse."

No court date has been set for Zech, according to CaseNet, the Missouri court system website. If convicted the teen could serve between five and 15 years in prison.

Also arrested in connection with the case and free on bond is Matthew Bradley Barnett, 17, who lived at the house where the alleged crimes occurred during a party attended by several young people.

Barnett is charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl who had reportedly been drinking alcohol. Court documents state the suspect told authorities the sex was consensual.

According to another probable cause statement filed by Glidden, the girl did not remember having sex with Barnett and was allegedly left in the front yard of her home, where she remained outdoors for approximately two hours in sub-freezing temperatures before making her way inside.

If convicted of the Class C felony, Barnett could be sentenced to between two and seven years in prison.

Nodaway County Sheriff Darren White said earlier there was a third alleged incident of sexual misconduct at the same location on the night in question involving a teenage girl under age 15 and a 15-year-old boy who was turned over to juvenile authorities.

White said neither of the girls involved appeared to have suffered serious physical injury.

***March 14, 2012

Charges dropped in teen sex case

By TONY BROWNtbrown@maryvilledailyforum.com

Nodaway County Prosecutor Robert Rice said Tuesday he was dropping felony sex abuse charges against two local teenagers filed in response to alleged acts committed during a party at a Maryville residence during the early morning hours of Sunday, Jan. 8.

Rice told the Daily Forum prior to a scheduled appearance by the two young men in the associate division of Circuit Court that he would "be dismissing the state's felony case versus Matt Barnett (sexual assault) at today's court date."

Following the conclusion of a criminal investigation, Rice said, the state had "insufficient proof" to proceed. Barnett will face a lesser charge of misdemeanor child endangerment in the 2nd degree.

Rice added that a Class B felony charge of sexually exploiting a minor filed against the second teen, Jordan Zech, was also dropped.

"No further charges will be pursued against him (Zech) from the incident," he said.Barnett, 17, lived at the house where the incident occurred, reportedly during a late-night/early morning gathering attended by several young people. He was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl said to have been drinking alcohol. Court documents stated Barnett claimed the sex was consensual.

According to a probable cause statement filed by a Nodaway County deputy, the girl in question told authorities she did not remember having sex with Barnett and was allegedly left in the front yard of her home, where she remained outdoors for approximately two hours in sub-freezing temperatures before making her way inside.

Nodaway County Sheriff Darren White said earlier there was a third alleged incident of sexual misconduct at the same location on the night in question involving a teenage girl under age 15 and a 15-year-old boy who was turned over to juvenile authorities.White said neither of the girls involved appeared to have suffered serious physical injury.

Zech, also 17, was originally accused of using an electronic recording device, identified in other court documents as a cell phone, to make a video of a 14-year-old girl engaged in sexual acts with a 17-year-old male.

Though considered minors in many respects, 17-year-old Missourians are automatically charged as adults when facing criminal charges.

***April 30, 2012

Editor's note: The two high school athletes named in this story were reportedly at the party attended by Daisy Coleman, Jordan James Zech and Bradley Barnett, and the school's subsequent disciplinary action was in connection with that incident. Zech, Forney and Groumoutis were all suspended from playing high school sports. A senior, Barnett's Maryville High School playing career had already come to an end.

Mad dad signs off over sports suspension

By TONY BROWNtbrown@maryvilledailyforum.comm

Jay Forney is an angry man, and he doesn't care who knows it.

Last Wednesday, Forney set up three large plywood signs at the edge of his property, which fronts the south shoulder of Highway 136 just east of the Maryville City Limits.

The signs are lettered with insults directed at the Maryville R-II School Board, Superintendent Larry Linthacum and Athletics Director Paul Snow.

Sheriff Darren White said the signs are protected speech under the First Amendment and violate no laws except for — due to their size — Polk Township zoning regulations.

The reason for all this vitriol is that, as Forney sees it, the school district has treated his son unfairly.

Maryville High School running back Cole Forney was recently given a one-year suspension for his involvement in a teenage party in January that was allegedly rife with sex and alcohol.

The younger Forney, a junior, and MHS senior Nick Groumoutis, who was also barred from sports for being at the party, filed an injunction against the Maryville R-II School District earlier this month in Nodaway County Circuit Court along with a motion for reinstatement.

Presiding Judge Roger Prokes dismissed the case last week, and a couple of days later the signs went up in Forney's yard.

For its part, the district has declined to comment on the suspensions of Forney, Groumoutis and at least two other youths, citing provisions set forth in the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Jay Forney, however, claims the district violated Missouri State High School Athletic Association policy by suspending his son from athletics for his entire senior year.

According to court records, MSHSAA requires that students found in violation of either its rules or additional standards set by high schools face suspension from extracurricular activities for 60 days for a first offense, 90 days for a second offense and one year for a third offense.

Forney claimed his son had no prior violations and was "really just a witness" to alleged illegal activities at the party. He also said Cole was not given sufficient opportunity to "self-report" to school officials.

"Nobody would listen to anything we were saying," he said.

As for the signs, Forney called the reference to Hitler "obviously a large exaggeration." He added that he is not religious and used the word "Antichrist" to underscore what he perceives as hypocrisy on the part of "church-goers" who either work for the school district or sit on the R-II board.

Forney said Cole has the right to appeal, but admits that such an effort would likely fail in light of the court decision.

"It got shot down so hard and so quick, I just don't know," he said.

Forney is also considering renting a house in Savannah so that Cole could, perhaps, play football there next year. He said, however, he has been told that MSHSAA, will probably enforce the suspension at any member school.

***May 1, 2013

House fire cause still undetermined

STAFF REPORTMaryville Daily Forum

Maryville Public Safety fire division supervisor Phil Rickabaugh said Tuesday the cause of a Sunday morning fire that destroyed a vacant house at 27932 Scout Ridge Drive on the northeastern edge of Maryville remains undetermined.

A state fire investigator was called to the scene, but the blaze, which gutted the house, rendered the structure too unstable for safe entry, said Rickabaugh, who added that the fire's "area of origin" was in the basement.

No one was inside the house when it caught fire around 8:30 a.m. Sunday, and no injuries were reported. Firefighters were on the scene until about 3 p.m.In addition to Maryville Public Safety, units responded from several rural fire departments, including Ravenwood, Pickering and Burlington Junction.

Rickabaugh said the structure was owned by Melinda Coleman of Albany and was insured.

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